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Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Patient Advice and Complaints Associate

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a Patient Advice and Complaints Associate to work in the Patient Advice and Complaints Team (PACT), based at Leighton Hospital.

You will report to the PACT Manager and will be responsible for handling complaints and concerns as they come into the hospital in person, or by means of telephone or email.

You would be expected to have good customer service skills, excellent communication skills across a wide range of people including patients, carers and medical professionals.

It is expected that you have the personal skills which enable you to remain calm in difficult situation to gain a resolution to the concern raised. Good listening skills are vital to ensure that you identify each issue/concern you are dealing with.

You should have good organisational and team skills to help prioritise the workload within the team. In addition you should have GCSE level in mathematics and English. Good computer skills including Microsoft Office are essential. NHS experience would be an advantage along with knowledge of the patient information system (PCS), Ulysses.

This is a very busy office and you should be able to work with people at all levels of the organisation and be able to work under pressure to tight deadlines.

Main duties of the job

To support the Patient Advice and Complaints Team in delivering a high-quality integrated service throughout the Trust.

To provide an identifiable, credible and accessible service to assist patients and carers. This will involve working flexibly to enable the team to deliver a responsive customer focused service, providing patient support and complaints resolution.

To facilitate a means of the Trust being able to respond to queries, requests for information, concerns, complaints, comments and compliments raised by service users. To be responsible for negotiating immediate solutions to concerns and requests for information and respond promptly and effectively.

The postholder will act as a catalyst for change and the first point of contact for service users providing a front-line problem solving and information service.

To be responsible for negotiating immediate solutions to concerns and requests for information and respond promptly and effectively.

Liaising with senior management teams and service managers to ensure they can review issues raised, meet required response deadlines, produce well formatted and clear responses and develop action plans as required.

Liaising, as required, with external agencies such as the Independent Healthwatch Advocacy Services (ICAS), Members of Parliament (MP's) and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO).

About us

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a full range of hospital and community services for people across East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). The Trust provides high quality planned and emergency care, cardiac, critical care,child health,maternity services and intermediate care at Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

The Trust provides over 500 beds and employs over 5,100 members of staff. A comprehensive range of community services is provided across 26 medical centres and schools through ourCentral Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership.

We have played, and continue to play, a proactive role in the development of Integrated Care plans across Cheshire & Merseyside and our local Cheshire East and Cheshire West Place-based systems. We believe, and it is the cornerstone of our five-year Trust Strategy, there is the opportunity to progress innovative, responsive and effective care in the best setting for the patient, be it in the hospital or out in the community.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Details

Date posted

21 February 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

412-CORP-6982779

Job locations

Leighton Hospital

Middlewich Road

Crewe

CW1 4QJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide on the spot assistance and support to patients, relatives, carers and the general public in the speedy resolution of concerns or queries raised through liaison with Trust staff or other outside agencies.

To handle sensitively concerns raised by the most vulnerable members of the community i.e children, older people and those with mental health problems.

Work with individual patients and carers to resolve wide-ranging areas of concern, which sometimes requires diplomatic, tactful, and compassionate responses to complicated or distressing situations. This can involve the need to clarify issues raised and agree how these can be best addressed.

To independently prioritise and manage a caseload of complaints and informal concerns without direct supervision.

Promote and foster good relationships with external agencies such as Healthwatch Advocacy, offices of local MPs and the Ombudsman, preparing information and responses as required.

To process concerns and complaints in line with national guidance, ensuring resolution to the satisfaction of the service user wherever possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide on the spot assistance and support to patients, relatives, carers and the general public in the speedy resolution of concerns or queries raised through liaison with Trust staff or other outside agencies.

To handle sensitively concerns raised by the most vulnerable members of the community i.e children, older people and those with mental health problems.

Work with individual patients and carers to resolve wide-ranging areas of concern, which sometimes requires diplomatic, tactful, and compassionate responses to complicated or distressing situations. This can involve the need to clarify issues raised and agree how these can be best addressed.

To independently prioritise and manage a caseload of complaints and informal concerns without direct supervision.

Promote and foster good relationships with external agencies such as Healthwatch Advocacy, offices of local MPs and the Ombudsman, preparing information and responses as required.

To process concerns and complaints in line with national guidance, ensuring resolution to the satisfaction of the service user wherever possible.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Customer Service Experience
  • Complaints handling

Desirable

  • NHS Experience

Skills

Essential

  • Capability in use of MS Office applications

Desirable

  • Use of Ulysses and PCS

Education

Essential

  • Educated at GCSE Level
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Customer Service Experience
  • Complaints handling

Desirable

  • NHS Experience

Skills

Essential

  • Capability in use of MS Office applications

Desirable

  • Use of Ulysses and PCS

Education

Essential

  • Educated at GCSE Level

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Leighton Hospital

Middlewich Road

Crewe

CW1 4QJ


Employer's website

https://www.mcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Leighton Hospital

Middlewich Road

Crewe

CW1 4QJ


Employer's website

https://www.mcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Patient Experience Manager

Laura Noakes

laura.noakes@mcht.nhs.uk

01270278098

Details

Date posted

21 February 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

412-CORP-6982779

Job locations

Leighton Hospital

Middlewich Road

Crewe

CW1 4QJ


Supporting documents

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